Stourbridge 4 Arlesey Town 1- as it happened (From Halesowen News)

5:13pm

THAT'S IT! The referee blows his whistle and Stourbridge have won their first game of the season. The second half wasn't quite the cruise we might have anticipated after Hatch's goal. But he was upstaged by that wonder strike from Geddes and from then on there was only going to be one winner. It wasn't a perfect game from the Glassboys but the three points are all important and winning 4-1 when you're not at your best is never something to scoff at! Right, I'm off to write the report, which should be on the site within the next hour.

5:08pm

90+1: ALL OVER!! Geddes swings in a corner and Turton who has just come on heads against the bar, with Chris Knight forcing home the rebound. 4-1 Stour.

5:06pm

90 mins: Here comes Turton, replacing Sam Rock.

5:05pm

88 mins: Rock and Hendrie combine beautifully on the edge of the box and the former shoots just wide...but was offside anyway. Dillon heads wide for Arlesey, who look a spent force. Tom Turton set to come on for Stour...

4:58pm

82 mins: Jamie Hatch off and Aston Goss on as Arlesey make their final switch. Stuart Hendrie is on for Stourr too, he replaces Canavan.

4:55pm

79 mins: It's all Stour now and Leon Broadhurst is the latest to try his luck from distance but it flies wide.

4:54pm

76 mins: Chris Knight nearly puts the game beyond doubt as he is played in by Billingham but Abbey does well to save.

4:51pm

74 mins: GEDDES MAKES IT 3-1!! Anything Hatch can do, I can do better says Sean Geddes as he puts the Glassboys 3-1 up with an amazing goal. A cross from Billingham is headed out as far as the midfielder 20 yards out, who flicks the ball up and unleashes a volley past Abbey and into the top corner. That should be three points in the bag.

4:49pm

73 mins: Stourbridge upping their game now and Rock nearly finds Billingham with a lovely through ball. First switch of the game for Stour, Benbow off, Chris Knight on.

4:49pm

73 mins: Stourbridge upping their game now and Rock nearly finds Billingham with a lovely through ball. First switch of the game for Stour, Benbow off, Chris Knight on.

4:47pm

71 mins: Lovely move involving Lloyd, Benbow and Rock but the latter takes too long to shoot and the chance goes begging.

4:45pm

68 mins: It's fair to say the referee and the nearside linesman are getting a fair bit of stick. Stourbridge think they have a corner but the ref rules a goal-kick. Hmmmm. 175 is the official attendance.

4:44pm

66 mins: Nervy times at the back for Stour as Solly loses a James Hatch long throw. The referee adjudges the keeper was fouled in the process. Another goal would be nice for Stour now to calm the nerves.

4:36pm

60 mins: There has been a marked improvement from the visitors this half and Chris Dillon nearly gets a leveller with a glancing header. The Glassboys need to pick things up again.

4:31pm

55 mins: Arlesey back in it! What can only be described as a wonder strike from Hatch. He let fly from about 30 yards out and though Solly got a hand to it, he couldn't stop it going in.

4:29pm

53 mins: Another change for Arlesey. Robbie Burns off, Kim Forsythe off. Indifference in the press box.

4:26pm

50 mins: Gasps as Benbow is just adjudged offside. Otherwise he would have been clear on goal.

4:23pm

47 mins: Shane Blackett nods a free-kick over the bar for the visitors. They have made a bright start to this second half. They needed to really.

4:22pm

46 mins: We are back underway. Arlesey have made a sub, Nayasha Sagwete is off and Harry Hunt is on. Relief in the press box!

4:06pm

HT: Ben Billingham and Sam Rock also have chances in stoppage time but there are no more goals and the half finishes with Stour 2-0 up. Certainly not the most thrilling half of football you'll ever see but a good one for the Glassboys. Arlesey will have to step up big time in the second half to stand any chance of getting back into it. Right, I'm off for another tea, see you in 15...

4:04pm

45 mins: Luke Benbow nearly makes it three as we edge into stoppage time with a snapshot from the edge of the box. I thought it was in, Gary Hackett thought it was in, but in the end it just curled wide of the post.

4:00pm

41 mins: Arlesey's best chance to score is probably from a set piece. They've just had one and it was straight at Lewis Solly. They'll have to do a lot better.

3:55pm

Well, it's hardly been vintage Stour but they have fairly coasted into a two nil lead. You would fancy them to get a few more here. Arlesey have shown little aside from the Hatch chance.

3:53pm

34 mins: TWO FOR STOUR! Skipper Ben Billingham repeats the same trick as Rock but from the opposite wing, cutting inside and shooting under Abbey. The keeper won't be happy with that and neither will the defence who failed to put a challenge in.

3:51pm

33 mins: Head tennis in the Arlesey box as McCone and then Billingham try to force the ball goalward from a Geddes corner. The ball is eventually cleared.

3:46pm

Glassboys boss Gary Hackett is in the press box today as he is serving a touchline ban (my ears are still ringing from his goal celebration) and he didn't seem too happy with Frater being given a free header there.

3:45pm

27 mins: Arlesey skipper Ryan Frater heads over Lewis Solly's bar from a long free-kick.

3:42pm

24 mins: Leon Broadhurst forces Abbey into a save at his near post. Stourbridge looking to hit Arlesey hard after taking the lead.

3:39pm

21 mins: GOAL FOR THE GLASSBOYS! Stour go one up as Sam Rock opens his account for the season. Cracking goal. He cut inside from the left wing and placed a shot past Abbey from a tight angle. 1-0 Stour.

3:38pm

19 mins: Luke Benbow is putting himself about up front for Stourbridge but so far no clear cut chances for the hosts. Hatch will still be kicking himself about the missed chance, he really scuffed it.

3:30pm

12 mins: It's all happening now! Chris Dillon plays in Hatch but he shoots wide from eight yards out with just Solly to beat. Arlesey should be one up...

3:29pm

11 mins: Ben Billingham has the first shot of the game and season for Stourbridge from the edge of the box. Nathan Abbey saves diving to his right, holding the ball at the second attempt.

3:27pm

10 mins: Thought I'd better post something to prove I'm still alive. You wouldn't say this has been action-packed so far. Some nice passing from the Glassboys and Arlesey have had a corner which was cleared. That's about it.

3:18pm

1 min: Arlesey kick-off and boot the ball straight out of play. Solid start.

3:15pm

Well if the match is anywhere near as good as the cup of tea I've just had, we are in for a belter. Anyway, here come the teams....

3:04pm

The players are still warming up so I'm going to snatch a moment to make a brew and will be back when the real action starts...

3:02pm

A correction to some information I gave you earlier, I've just been informed by Glassboys press officer and all-round fountain of general knowledge Nigel Gregg that it's 17 miles from Stourbridge to Redditch and not 15 as I stated. Apparently the club did a sponsored walk between the grounds a few years ago. 

2:58pm

Arlesey have Nathan Abbey in goal. The rest of their team (and some of these names are a reporters' nightmare by the way) is Nayasha Sagwete, Sol Davis, Jeammal Prosper, Ryan Frater, Shane Bennett, Luke Thurlbourne, Robbie Burns, Chris Dillon, James Hatch and Leon Hibbert. Hatch is the dangerman. 

2:56pm

The big news in the Stourbridge team is Luke Benbow getting the nod up front ahead of Chris Knight. Otherwise there are a lot of familiar names in the starting 11. Lewis Solly is in goal with a back four of Paul Lloyd, Aaron Griffiths, Nathan Bennett and Paul McCone, while the midfield five is Sam Rock, Sean Geddes, Leon Broadhurst, Drew Canavan and skipper Ben Billingham. There are places on the bench for Stuart Hendrie, James Dyson, Sam Smith, Chris Knight and Tom Turton.

2:51pm

First off, incase you didn't already know, the kick-off here has been delayed until 3.15pm as Arlesey's kit was delayed. The visitors have apparently had two coaches break down on them en route, so who knows what their mindset will be like? As if things couldn't get any worse for them, their big summer signing Drew Roberts - who was the league's top scorer last term, is injured and will not play!

2:47pm

Hello, hello and welcome to Redditch, yes Redditch, as Stourbridge kick-off another Southern League Premier campaign against Arlesey Town. The War Memorial is of course a football free zone while the cricket season is still going on, so Gary Hackett's men have made the annual pilgrimmage 15 miles east to kick off their home campaign. I'll be back with team news in a few minutes...